How to destroy angels_ - An Omen [EP]

6.8

The unthinkable has happened. If How to destroy angels_' new series of songs is any indication, Nine Inch Nails maestro is finally happy. At least as happy as a goth superstar can get. The male half of the married duo's band has made a decidedly significant gap in his musicianship since putting his calling card on the shelf in 2009. Three years, two soundtracks, various singles and upcoming collaborations later, Reznor emerges properly with An Omen.

"The beginning is the end and keeps coming 'round the bend." One of the first things Reznor utters on this EP loops back to the finality of his 2009 performances. It was clear NIN, like the Who and Jay-Z before them wouldn't disappear after their "final" tour but still, fans knew 2009 marked the end of an era. The brilliant Social Network score and its bloated companion score to Dragon Tattoo painted a picture of a man settling. Soul-crushing synths and yelps of anguish were replaced with gentle orchestration and the overall sound of decay. Does the transition continue with An Omen? Yes and no.

One of the first noticeable aspects of the band's second outing is the overwhelming calm inherent throughout. "Ice Age" is haunting, ominous and easily the most beautiful thing the band has ever recorded. I get the feeling that the duo behind Angels have traded pain in isolation for shared loneliness. The latter is no less depressing and reflects music that fits right along side "The Fragile" or "La Mer." But there's an inner warmth to the new material, proving there can be an upside to eternal darkness. There are plenty of highs and lows throughout the EP's 32 minutes but it lacks the forward momentum of the original EP. The new EP unfortunately also dips into boring electric territory towards its conclusion.

If nothing else, An Omen reassures us Reznor has not gone quietly into the night. It is nowhere near a proper return but serves to bridge the gap perfectly between his subdued movie soundscapes and a new era of industrial rock Gods Nine Inch Nails.